I'm trying to put a 2000 3.8l t5(using the 3.8l bellhousing) to a 1985 302. I got the 164 tooth flywheel & clutch for a 1992 f150, using the 302 shim/motorplate, everything went together fine until I got to the starter. From what I read I get two different answers (one guy says you need a 3.8 starter, then the next guy says you need a f150 starter with a manual transmission), so I got both starters (1995 3.8l starter from a Thunderbird, and a 1995 5.0l starter from a F-150 with a manual transmission) I have to shim the 3.8 starter to get it to engage, but both grind slightly and won't disengage. Is there anyone that has done this swap, and had this problem? Any help would be greatly appreciated

Go to Rockauto and look up the 2000 Mustang V6 manual start. Then click on the info or what ever it is. A drop down box will come up showing what other applications it fits. My 66 Mustang with a 5.0 roller motor basically using a roller manual 157 tooth flywheel. It uses the same starter as the regular 66 starter (auto for both auto and manual). I have a 97 Explorer GT40P starter I thought wouldn’t work. I bought a 97 Mustang 3.8 T5 starter from the junk yard that I’m using. After I bought the junk yard starter comparing it to the Explorer starter, functionally the same so the Explorer starter will work on a 157 or 164 tooth late model flywheel. The Explorer starter just has a extra external brace.

You should be able to use the 2000 starter on the 157 tooth. You may have a issue with the block plate locating the starter. Try loosening the bolts and move the starter away slightly.

Tom

One thing great about getting older. A life in prison sentence is less of a deterrence

The original mustang starter did not work for me (I took it with me from the junkyard). It wouldn't even engage the teeth. I had to go back and check what I used and I found it:

Quote:

Using the original 3.8L bell with a 28oz 164T flywheel, 11" clutch, and 92-96 F-150/bronco/full size van with a V8 & manual mini starter.

That was with my '97 T5 swap into a 65 with a 289. I wouldn't be surprised if you had the wrong starter out of the box. I seem to get "returned" stuff all the time. I recently bought a Pontiac 400 starter and some asshat took out the new solenoid guts and swapped their old crap in and returned it. Some guy could have come in and looked at 5 starters and they didn't get them all back in the right boxes...

I would remove the starter and use a straight edge and check for depth of engagement at the front and back of the flywheel, then measure from the mounting face of the starter (with the gear pulled out) to the front and back of the gear to see if they're mating up properly (and with the gear in to make sure it's not engaging with it all the way in). It almost sounds like yours might be engaged with the gear all the way in? I'd check a couple more starters at the parts counter with your new measurement info and go from there.

All I know is I used everything I referenced above and my car has been starting beautifully for 5 or so years. I love the sound the mini-starters make.

Ok I looked up p.# on rock Auto and a 00 mustang 3.8, 97 mustang 3.8, 95 t-bird 3.8, and a 66 mustang 302 pmgr replacement all have the same number (motorcraft nsa3268n) so I already have that one, and it's grinding and not disengaging. The f150 5.0l manual transmission starter does the same thing, grinding and not disengaging. The 97 explorer starter does have a different p # ( motorcraft nsa3274n)

I can't remember the exact mix of parts but I do recall using an 11" clutch and the solution at the time turned out to be a 2002 F150 4.2 manual transmission starter. I wish I could remember more about the situation and how actually relevant it may be to yours but it's a thought. FYI, a 4.2 is just an internally slightly larger 3.8.

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